Responsibilities

Employee’s responsibilities

Members of staff are responsible for:

attending work regularly, but in the event of absence, notifying and certifying sickness absence in accordance with the contractual arrangements notified in the Conditions of Service or for seconded staff in accordance with the terms of the secondment agreement;
keeping their manager informed regularly of progress towards recovery and return to work during periods of absence;
reporting any accidents or other safety-relating incidents immediately, in accordance with the accident reporting requirements detailed in the University Safety Policy;
taking reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and other people who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work, as required under the Health and Safety at Work Act and the University Safety Policy.

Manager’s Responsibilities

Managers are responsible for:

ensuring that all staff are fully aware of the contractual requirements and procedures for notifying and certifying sickness and that these requirements are applied (e.g. by issuing specific College/Professional Service procedures to staff);
recording sickness absence in accordance with University and College/Professional Service administrative procedures;
monitoring and responding to sickness absence in accordance with this Code of Practice, ensuring that standards of sensitivity, fairness, consistency and confidentiality are maintained and taking advice from Human Resources;
maintaining appropriate contact with members of staff while absent;
carrying out return to work discussion with employees;
managing the consequences of absence on the operation of the service and other staff;
ensuring that any accidents or other safety-relating incidents are reported immediately, in accordance with the accident reporting requirements detailed in the University Safety Policy;
undertaking the responsibilities detailed in the University's Safety Policies and Procedures to ensure safe systems of work, including appropriate training;
offering training in Health & Safety management, stress management, and absence management;
discussing the referral process with employees, when necessary, and gaining their consent to being referred to the Occupational Health Service before doing so.

Deans/College Managers/Directors of Service Responsibilities

Deans/College Managers/Directors of Service are responsible for:

sharing sickness monitoring reports with relevant managers;
ensuring that records held in the Colleges/Services are kept securely and confidentially and data protection rules are adhered to.

Human Resources Responsibilities

Human Resources is responsible for:

providing training to enable managers to apply the principles and procedures of this Code of Practice to sickness absence;
providing Colleges and Professional Services with regular management information for sickness absence monitoring;
advising managers on appropriate responses to sickness absence in accordance with this Code of Practice;
making referrals to the University's Occupational Health Service;
advising managers on redeployment, phased returns, reduced hours of work, retirements and associated issues, as appropriate, based on advice from Occupational Health;
advising employees who are absent when their SSP and University Sick Pay status changes.

Health & Safety Office Responsibilities

In addition to promoting and supporting safe and healthy systems of work across the University, in relation to managing sickness absence procedures the Health & Safety Office is responsible for:

monitoring, recording and advising on accidents at work and absence resulting from them.

Occupational Health Responsibilities

The Occupational Health Service maintains a confidential service to employees. However, in relation to managing sickness absence procedures the University's Occupational Health Service is responsible for:

(in response to a formal referral from Human Resources) providing information and advice on the nature, extent and impact of any medical condition in relation to a member of staff’s contractual duties (with the member of staff's consent);
where staff do not give consent for the OHS to report back to HR, a simple but functional report will be sent declaring the member of staff’s fitness to work or otherwise
advising on possible adjustments to working arrangements, for managers to consider;
providing advice, information and support to the members of staff;
ensuring that appropriate standards of confidentiality are maintained;
involving the University’s Disability Resource Centre, as appropriate;
recommending that staff approach Access to Work for additional support, if deemed appropriate.

Sickness Information Coordinator Responsibilities

Sickness Information Coordinators are based in Colleges and Services. They are responsible for:

sending a summary of weekly absence for their area to the Payroll Office;
ensuring PD77 forms are completed for each individual absence and that these are sent, together with the relevant Fit Note, if necessary, to the Payroll Office;
notifying the Health & Safety Office if a medical certificate reports ‘accident at work’ or a reportable disease as the reason for absence or if the employee/manager believes the absence to have been due to an accident or incident at work.